It's always a shame when Netflix bids farewell to a good film, but this month there are several films leaving the streaming service that are truly heartbreaking Not only is Sam Raimi's entire “Spider-Man” trilogy being dropped, but the darkly comedic, raucous crime drama “American Hustle” is also being removed

Directed by David O Russell, fresh off the critical and commercial success of his last film, “Silver Linings Playbook,” which was released in 2013, the drama about corruption in public office in New Jersey is no dry political drama With a stellar cast including Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, and Jennifer Lawrence, the film is truly entertaining

I have been a huge fan of this film since its release, and still remember seeing it in a packed movie theater over the holidays more than a decade ago Sadly, however, it was removed from my Netflix library on Saturday, August 31 Set in the turbulent 1970s, “American Hustle” begins with the con artist duo of Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) running out of luck when FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who has been caught red-handed by the FBI, is arrested by two men who have been working for the FBI for over a year ) is caught red-handed, and the two are forced to use their talents in a sting operation

The target is New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner), and the corrupt agent is eager to implicate this popular politician in a scam Irv and Sydney do not want to get involved, but they are forced to serve time in prison and have no choice but to carry out their plan But a wealthy sheikh and a mafia crime boss also get involved, and the seemingly well-thought-out plan begins to spiral more and more out of control

If the maddening undercover operation wasn't stressful enough, the entire house of cards is on the verge of collapse as Irv's jealous and unpredictable wife (Jennifer Lawrence) may reveal the secret herself As ludicrous as it may sound, the drama is inspired by the FBI's real-life Operation Abscam, in which the FBI's own agents were sent to the house of the Trumps to investigate the murder of the Trumps' wife (Jennifer Lawrence)

In 2013, when “American Hustle” was about to hit theaters, the cast was heavily hyped in pre-release marketing Each was in top form [Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence especially shine, but Adams, Cooper, and Renner are also excellent, and the supporting cast, including Luis CK, Michael Pena, Jack Huston, and Shea Whigham, are equally well known names

Although “American Hustle” is a bit long (it is somewhat bloated at 138 minutes), the drama has a real energy that keeps you engaged throughout Interesting and seriously flawed characters are blended with clever comedy and a couple of well-timed plot revelations (if you can call them twists) that add to the drama

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was fascinated by “American Hustle” when it was released The film received an impressive score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, a score attributed to nearly 300 reviews However, the audience score was mixed, with a low 74%, with some audience members criticizing its length and narrative

Rotten Tomatoes' “Critics Consensus” wrote, “Riotously funny and impeccably cast, ‘American Hustle’ makes up for its shortcomings with unbridled energy and David O Russell's most unbridled and vibrant direction” Meanwhile, Peter Howell of the Toronto Star called it “one of the year's smartest films and one of its best”

Popular critic Richard Roeper was similarly enthusiastic, commenting that it was “the best time I've spent in a movie theater all year” Not all reviews were favorable, however, with The New Republic's David Thomson branding “American Hustle” as “loose, wandering, and often monotonous”

If you are looking for a Hollywood movie with real star power, “American Hustle” is a no-brainer Even if you don't relate to the story, it's fun just to watch the five powerful actors clash with each other, and the period setting is well-realized

“American Hustle” was nominated for 10 Academy Awards at the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director It was also nominated in all four acting categories (Renner was nominated in all of them) Sorry, Jeremy Although the film did not win an Academy Award, such high praise also speaks to the quality of the film

So if you're looking for a Netflix movie to watch this weekend, “American Hustle” is a good choice But if this crime drama still doesn't appeal to you, here are all the new releases coming to Netflix in August 2024